Device for operating slats of window-blinds



UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

LUCIUS N. FAY AND WM. MASON, OF WARREN, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING SLATS OF WINDOW-BLINDS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,923, dated August 4, 1857.

`blind slats and securing them either in an open or closed state or atany intermediate point; and we do hereby declare that the .following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a window blind in elevation with our improvement applied toit. Fig.

2, is a transverse vertical Section of ditto taken in the line (w) Fig.l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the twofigures.

Our invention consists in having a sliding head or knob attached to thelower cross rail of the blind and having a rod attached to the slat bar,said rod being also connected to the sliding head. The slat bar issupported or braced by a rod attached to one of the Stiles of the blindand the several parts are so arranged that the slats will be opened andclosed by Sliding the head or knob, the slats being retained or held bythe device at any desired point.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct ourinvention we will proceed to describe it.

A represents an ordinary window blind. This does not require a minutedescription as there is nothing peculiar in its construction.

The lower cross rail (a) of the blind has a guide rod (b)n attached toits inner side. This rod (b) is in a horizontal position and projects ashort distance out from the cross rail, so that a head or knob B mayslide freely back and forth thereon. This head or knob is constructed ofmetal and a rod (c) is attached to its upper side, the upper end of rod(c) being attached to the Slat rod (d) by a staple (e). To the staple(e) one end of a rod (f) is also attached and the opposite end of thisrod is attached to the stile (g) of the blind by a staple y From theabove description of parts it will be seen that by sliding the head orknob B, back and forth on the rod (b) the Slat rod will be moved up anddown, and it will also be seen that if the rod (c) be of sufficientlength the slats of the blind cannot be moved casually as the rod (c)when of Sufficient length would draw or pull the head or knob too near avertical line in order to actuate the head or knob, or move itlaterally.

The slats therefore cannot as usual be actuated by the wind nor can theybe operated by a person at the outer Side of the blind for the reasonabove stated.

This invention is extremely Simple and may be applied at a trifling costto any movable Slat blind in use. The rod (f) serves as a brace orsupport to the Slat bar, and prevents said bar from being subjected toany strain or lateral pressure when actuated by the rod (c) of the heador knob Having thus described our invention what we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

The sliding head or knob B, placed on the guide rod (b) which isattached to the cross rails (a) of the blind, the head or knob beingconnected with the Slat rod (d) by the rod (e), the Slat rod beingbraced or supported by a rod attached to rod (d) and the stile (g)substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

LUCIUS N. FAY. WILLIAM MASON.

